Dedicating antenna elements to specific wireless devices

Abstract

Dedicating antenna elements to specific wireless devices by identifying specific wireless devices that meet a set of criteria, such as relay nodes, stationary wireless devices, data-only wireless devices, and respectively dedicating a separate portion of antenna elements for communicating with each specific wireless device. The separate portion of antenna elements is selected based on being configured to utilize a bandwidth that meets a threshold bandwidth, such as a 40 MHz bandwidth offered in 5G communications.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for dedicating antenna elements to specific wireless devices, the method comprising:
 identifying a first wireless device of a plurality of wireless devices attached to an access node, wherein the first wireless device meets a set of criteria; and 
 responsive to determining that the first wireless device meets the set of criteria, assigning a first portion of the antennae of the access node for communicating with only the first wireless device and assigning a second portion of the antennae of the access node to be dynamically shared among other wireless devices of the plurality of wireless devices, wherein 
 the first portion comprises a first plurality of antenna elements from among an antenna array of the access node, 
 the first plurality of antenna elements being configured to utilize a first bandwidth, and 
 the antenna array further comprises a second plurality of antenna elements configured to utilize a second bandwidth, the second bandwidth being smaller than the first bandwidth. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of criteria comprise one or more of the first wireless device comprising a stationary wireless device, the first wireless device comprising a data-only wireless device, or the first wireless device comprising a relay node. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the relay node is configured to relay network services between the access node and the plurality of wireless devices attached to the relay node. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising determining a size of the first portion of antennae assigned to the relay node based in part on a number of the plurality of wireless devices attached to the relay node. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein communicating with the wireless device using the first portion of antennae further comprises:
 scheduling data information with the wireless device using resources allocated towards the first plurality of antenna elements; and 
 scheduling control information with the wireless device using resources allocated towards the second plurality of antenna elements. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first plurality of antenna elements is configured to utilize a first radio access technology (RAT), and 
 the second plurality of antenna elements is configured to utilize a second RAT. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first RAT comprises 5G new radio (NR) and the second RAT comprises 4G long term evolution (LTE). 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying a second wireless device of the plurality of wireless devices meeting the criteria attached to the access node; and 
 assigning a third portion of antennae of the access node towards communicating with only the second wireless device. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising dynamically adjusting a size of the first, second, and/or third portions of antennae based on one or more characteristics of each wireless device. 
     
     
       10. A system for dedicating antenna elements to specific wireless devices, the system comprising:
 a processing node; and 
 a processor coupled to the processing node, the processor being configured to perform operations comprising:
 identifying one or more wireless devices of a plurality of wireless devices attached to an access node, wherein the one or wireless devices meet a set of criteria, and wherein the access node is communicatively coupled to a plurality of antenna elements, 
 responsive to determining that the one or more wireless devices meet the set of criteria, respectively dedicating a separate portion of antenna elements for communicating with only a respective one of the one or more wireless devices and assigning a shared portion of antenna elements for communicating with other wireless devices of the plurality of wireless devices, 
 scheduling data transmissions for the one or more wireless devices via each respective separate portion using at least a threshold bandwidth, and 
 scheduling control transmissions for the one or more wireless devices via the shared portion configured to utilize a bandwidth that is less than the threshold bandwidth, 
 
 wherein each separate portion is selected based on being configured to utilize a bandwidth that meets the threshold bandwidth. 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the threshold bandwidth comprises 40 MHz. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the set of criteria comprises one or more of a wireless device being a stationary wireless device, the wireless device being a data-only wireless device, or the wireless device being a relay node. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the relay node is configured to relay network services between the access node and the plurality of wireless devices attached to the relay node. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a size of the separate portion of antenna elements dedicated to the relay node based in part on a number of the plurality of wireless devices attached to the relay node. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 10 , further comprising disabling measurement reports from the one or more wireless devices. 
     
     
       16. A processing node for dedicating antenna elements to specific wireless devices, the processing node being configured to perform operations comprising:
 identifying a relay node attached to an access node, wherein the relay node is capable of communicating using at least two radio access technologies (RATS); 
 responsive to identifying the relay node, dedicating a first set of antenna elements of the access node for communicating data information with only the relay node using a first RAT; 
 using a second set of antenna elements of the access node for communicating control information with the relay node using a second RAT; and 
 using a third set of antenna elements of the access node to be dynamically shared for communication with at least one wireless device attached to the access node or the relay node, 
 wherein the first RAT has a greater bandwidth than the second RAT. 
 
     
     
       17. The processing node of  claim 16 , wherein the first RAT comprises 4G and the second RAT comprises 5G. 
     
     
       18. The processing node of  claim 16 , wherein the first RAT has a bandwidth of at least 40 MHz. 
     
     
       19. The processing node of  claim 16 , wherein the relay node is configured to relay network services between the access node and the at least one wireless device attached to the relay node. 
     
     
       20. The processing node of  claim 16 , the operations further comprising dynamically adjusting a number of antenna elements included in of the first, second, and/or third set of antenna elements based on one or more characteristics of the at least one wireless device.